The coverings are washable. The
futon itself is taken out on sunny days and hung on a railing to air out. Thy are also beat with a wand to get the
dust out. This is the same way western floor rugs were cleaned before vacuums. A futon maximizes the use of
space because when it is not in use, it is rolled/folded up and moved close to
a wall, thus freeing the space to serve for more than a bedroom.